


All aboard! The Flying Ray is sailing.

by allyourpoison



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Does this count as "Reality"?, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Mini Fic, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-08
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-04 15:36:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/712334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyourpoison/pseuds/allyourpoison
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No matter how much you love what you do for a living, you'll always have some job you won't like to do. In Harry’s case, that was fake-dating Taylor Swift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The article where Taylor talks about the brake up forced me to write this story. Just to clarify, I don't have anything against her...  
> I still don't know why ao3 won't let me leave spaces between the paragraphs in this first chapter. I'm really sorry about that.

“I’m not doing it.” Harry sentenced crossing his arms and lying back on the chair.  
“Harry, we already talked about it.” Steven was decided to leave the meeting with an affirmative answer from the popstar.  
“Why can’t Liam do it? He is single now!” Harry insisted.  
“His break up is pretty recent. Nobody would buy it.”  
“How about Niall?”  
“Both of them are too blonde for each other.”  
“That’s stupid!” Harry protested giving a ‘what the fuck’ face to the management guy who was always the one in charge of giving him the bad news. “The two of us are too curly for each other, you know?”  
“Listen, we’ve reserved her for next winter months ago. You must do it.” After a pause, he mocked: “She has straight hair now, you know?”  
“I don’t wanna have a fake relationship! Who does that?”  
“EVERYONE! Don’t be naïve, Harry. Why do you think that famous people suddenly start dating other famous people even when they haven’t met before? Those are all set ups that rarely become something real.” Steven explained. “You guys won’t have to say you are in a relationship. Just let the people think so. Go out with her, spend time together. The rest is up to us.”  
Of course it was. He sighed and gave up, “…kay. I’ll do it.”  
“Great.” The older man smiled. “So, we’re going to start early on December, the band’ll be at the States for the MSG show and the paparazzi are going to be after you. It’s the perfect opportunity!” He clapped his hands together very proud of himself.  
Xxx  
When he arrived home, the first thing Harry noticed was that it felt empty. There were a couple of places he liked to call home but it wasn’t any of them. This was just his house. During the five months since he bought it, he spent only a few nights alone here. He was always touring, hanging out with friends, with family or at parties. Everything was a good excuse to not to be alone here.  
He just missed living with Louis.  
Since the other boy got a new girlfriend they’ve spent less and less time together, but Harry and his best mate always had a moment for just them when they finally get home alone. That was until Eleanor began to stay over often… and Harry wasn’t happy about it. That supposed to be their place.  
Louis had noticed something wasn’t alright and confronted him about it. It wasn’t in the Top Three Conversations he wanted to have, but he couldn’t avoid it. The older boy got it wrong, at least that was what Harry wanted to think: instead of stop bringing Eleanor over he found another place to live. He didn’t liked the idea of Louis choosing someone else ov-  
The phone started to ring, he answer quickly once he looked the caller ID, “Hi, Liam.”  
“Hi, mate. How was the meeting?”  
“I´ll be dating Taylor Swift in a month.”  
“What?!” Liam sounded almost as shocked as Harry was when Steven gave him the Big News. “I never knew you fancy her.”  
“It’s not like that Li. They said that would be good publicity for the band and her… a win-win thing.” The younger boy explained.  
“So it’s not going to be real?”  
“No.” Harry answered emotionlessly. “We’d have to be together in public for a while and that would be it”.  
“Just like that? Are you sure it’s so simple?”  
“That’s what Steven promised. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it.”  
Liam remained in silent for a moment. “But, hey, maybe you’d like her and-”  
“Don’t go there.” Harry cut him.  
“Why? Harry you deserve someone who-“  
“I don’t need ‘someone who’ anything right now, please!” Liam was the only one who knew how he felt about Louis. It wasn’t like Harry had decided to suffer in the shadows, he had told Louis himself that he loved and the blue eyed boy had said it back. But he wasn’t sure if his friend had understood how much he meant it.  
“I’m sorry.” Harry didn’t know Liam could do the ‘puppy voice’ as good as the ‘puppy face’ until now.  
He sighed. “…’s okay. I know you’re worried but you don’t have to. I’ll get over it.” Yeah, right.  
“I’m going to said that I believe you. But just because I trust you’ll come to me when you need help, you understand?”  
Harry smiled, “Thanks, Li.”  
Xxx  
“Haz, do you realized that we are giving a concert in MSG in a few weeks?!” Louis said exited behind Harry once they arrived to the older boy’s home.  
“I know! It’s still hard to believe” Harry grinded. It was nice when they were just the two of them. He didn’t matter if he never gets to kiss those pretty pink lips that were smiling at him right now. That, little kids, is how people lie to themselves don’t try this at home: it’s the worst kind of lie.  
So, maybe it wasn’t enough just spend time with Louis anymore, but there was no other options. Usually, while they were on tour Louis was almost all his but Harry was going to be busy during their next days in the States. Oh, that remind him he hadn’t told the boys about his future new girlfriend yet.  
“I’ll finally meet Taylor.” He spit out.  
Louis gave him a gaze of disbelief “What? Don’t tell me the rumors are true and you didn’t say anything to me!”  
Harry shrugs. “We haven’t talked yet to each other, but we have a date the day before the show”.  
“I don’t understand how it is possible. You didn’t even texted?”  
Harry didn’t wanted to tell him the truth, he wasn’t sure why “Nop. It’s complicated.”  
“Whatever, man. I’m happy for you.” When Louis clapped his shoulder, Harry thought it would be polite to answer him with a smile. A forced smile, of course.  
Xxx  
Two days after the boys arrived to USA, Harry went out with Taylor. It was awkward as hell, he had always thought they would have some time to talk with each other instead they threw them to the public eye in a date at the zoo.  
As a result, they went to see animals that are out of their habitat just for people’s entertainment. How accurate.  
Lucky for him, Lou and Lux were coming with them. He justified their presence by saying the fans would find cute to see Lux with them. But the truth was he didn’t want to be left alone with Taylor. What they would talk about? They cannot be seen just standing one next to another, Steven wouldn’t be happy. Not that Harry cares for Steven’s happiness, but is this didn’t work out as the management team expected, the whole thing would have been pointless.  
Anyway… The spent the day watching walking around the zoo, both of them focusing on Lux, taking pictures with the fans that approached, always pretending to be interested in what the other had to say but rarely speaking to each other.  
“Look at the baby seal, right there on the corner!” Taylor pointed turning to Harry with a big smile.  
“Oh, yeah… there it is.” Was all that Harry could add. “Do you see it, Lux?”  
Before say goodbye, they exchanged phone numbers and Taylor informed him that their next date was right after the concert.  
This was going to be his life for the next month. Awesome. Maybe when they start talking and actually trying to know each other things would get better. Who knows? He could end up winning a new friend.  
Harry was lying now on the bed of his hotel room alone. Zayn was out with Perrie, Louis with Eleanor, Liam with Danielle now that they were officially back together and Niall also was out but alone. Lucky bastard.  
He was falling asleep when a knock on the door wake him up. “Who is this?”  
“It’s me, Louis.”  
“Come in, it’s open.”  
Louis did what he was told and thrown himself to the bed “How was your date? Tell me!”  
“It was… nice.” He sounded really bored. But, hey, he could blame his sleepy status.  
“Elaborate a little bit more, Harold.” Louis asked impatiently.  
“I don’t know what you want me to say!” Okay, try again but this time we are going to react like a rational human being. “Ask me and I’ll tell you.”  
“Well, you know, do had a good time? Do you like her? When are you seeing her again and all that?”  
“Hum… yeah, I think so and tomorrow after the show”  
“I thought we were going out to celebrate after the show” Louis pouted.  
“Of course we are going out, Lou! She’s just coming with us.” Harry had completely forgotten about that, but this was a good thing. If they were a big group of people it hasn’t to be as awkward as today was. Besides Ed will be there, he and Taylor know each other and he could help to break the ice better that Lux and the zoo.  
Yeah, just because they were forcing him to pretend he was dating someone, that doesn’t meant he had to spend the next month bitching around.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter is here! It's short but longer than the first one and that’s a personal victory. I still have to work on my shortness issues but I’m happy with my progress right now.

The show was incredible. To let yourself lose in the sound of the audience was one of the most wonderful sensations in the world. Harry will never get used to the little heart attack that took place when he heard people singing their songs. It was the realization of being good enough for something all over again, every time. People liked them, people liked him. Not because they has to, not because they were family, or because they were stuck with him in the same class or in the same band. They just liked him and it felt really good.

After the show, they all came back to the hotel to get ready for the celebration –thank god for the dressing rooms with showers, ‘cause they are one of the best creations in the history. You don’t want to smell the sweat of five growing lads. Ok, maybe you do, but after a while you’d have enough of it.

Zayn went to dinner with Perrie and her brother since they were flying back to London first hour tomorrow. Eleanor and Danielle would stay for a couple more of days and went to sleep early; they have been around de city before the concert and were tired. That left Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall, Ed and Taylor for the celebration night.

“Haz, where are you going? We still have another thirty minutes before we leave.” Niall pointed out when they run into each other in the hallway, the irish boy was not wearing shoes nor shirt, only dark red joggins.

“I’m picking up Taylor. We’ll see you guys there.” Harry explained.

“You’re already a ‘we’, ah?” Niall mocked.

“Oh, shut up!” Harry replied with a little smile. “You know it’s not for real.”

Niall grab him by his shoulders and pushed him against the wall, next to the door where Harry had just left out. “Watch out what and where you say it! The walls could hear you.” Niall joked opening his eyes as wide as he could to give more theatricality to his statement.  
Harry just cocked an eyebrow in response.

“Liam told Zayn and me not to mention your relation being fake, ‘not even to your shadows”” Niall shrugged. 

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” Harry said thinking of how Louis didn’t know yet the real nature of the relationship, and how to this point it was a secret agreement between the four boys to not tell him about it. He still was wondering why he didn’t tell the older lad. That would save a lot of unnecessary questions about their dates and the current status of his feelings. But Harry knew why: he was desperate to find any sign of jealousy in Louis. But that, of course, hasn’t happened. “I gotta get going, see you in a bit, yeah?”

“Sure, see ya” Niall waved and entered into Harry’s room.

Xxx

Harry had to admit Taylor was punctual. He texted her when he was a few blocks away for her hotel and she left the building less than three minutes after the limo had arrived. Now they were in the midway to the karaoke bar.

“You haven’t told me how was the show!” Taylor exclaimed smiling.

“Yeah but, we probably are going to spent the whole night with the boys talking about it. Don’t want to bore you.”

“Don’t be silly! It’s obvious you’ll want to talk about it. Come on, tell me!” She encouraged him.

Harry still hadn’t decided if she was this super-nice all the time or if she was trying very hard to break the ice. It was not that he did it on purpose, the talk-the-less-you-can thing. He just didn’t know what to say, before to say a word a reason to not to say anything came to his mind. How could she standing it? Harry hated it and he wasn’t the one forced to spent time with him.

“We’re almost there, besides with the lads there, you’ll get the complete version” he smiled to her hoping that gesture softer the words that could be taken harshly otherwise.

“Okay.” Taylor looked at the car’s ceiling, through the windows, to the front sit and after a pause she asked “Have you ever been in this bar we’re going?”

“No,” keep the conversation, you can do it “have you?”

Taylor shocks his head. “I hear it’s nice, though.”

“Good.” Harry nodded. “Look, we’re here.”

The driver pulled over and Harry got off the car first, giving his hand to Taylor to help her, like the gentlemen he was. She graved it and smiled up at him while she got out too.

Camera flashes complicated their way into the bar. Harry was used to this, kinda. Still bothered him, but he know how to handle it. They kept a straight face and carry on his walking still holding hands as fast the people in their way allowed them. Seven meters and thirty-eight pictures later, they were in. The boys were already there waiting for them on a table. 

“What took you so long?” Niall asked.

“Trafic” Harry shrugged. “Oh, I don’t think you have officially met. Lads, this is Taylor. Taylor, this is Niall, Louis, you already know Ed, and…” One by one, the boys waved at her with a smile. They were in a table for six, on one Ed and two free sits, in front of him was Niall, next to the Irish lad was Louis and next to the Doncaster boys another free sit.

“Tay! How have you been?” Ed greeted while Taylor took the empty sit next to him.

“Great!” Taylor answered enthusiastic. “Haven’t talk to you since th…”

Harry didn’t pay too much attention to the rest of the conversation; he took the six next to Taylor, in front of the empty sit next Louis. “Liam is in the restroom?”

“He stayed with Dani after all” Niall answered.

“And Eleanor? Why you didn’t stay with her or bring her with you?” He directed straight to Louis this time.

“Because, Harold, this is our celebration and I’m not a henpecked like other people” Louis poked his tongue. “Besides, she was tired.” He shrugged. So, they will be just the five of them tonight.

Harry has been right about this. With Ed there, the night was so far pretty enjoyable. It was easier. The talk flowed without stop and it was just nice. There was no need to pretend being in love of nobody, it was a nice dinner with friends.

“I’d rather never have lived it.” Taylor affirmed. “If it is something non important I wouldn’t be missing anything and if it this like a Big Deal to me, I don’t think I could live with the emptiness for the rest of my life.”

Ed nodded and turned to Harry “And you, Hazza?” everybody were looking at him. “Would you liked to live an experience or have something and then to lose it, or never have lived it at all?”

“I definitively would like to live it.” He guaranteed. “It’s not that I’d try and if it not results I’ll be content for attempting,” he looked at Niall remembering the blonde’s boys, “or for simple take it off my to-do list,” now he glanced at Louis and then to Ed “or I’ll be happy remembering that it actually happen like you guys said. And I understand the emptiness of losing it would be hard.” Harry took a deep breath. “I just won’t be comfortable by living everyday with the craving for something I will never experience.” After a little pause he continued. “I’d like to say that I’ll fight for it every day but… I know that some things are just not possible.” He looked down.  
The table went silent. He felt a hand in his back it was Taylor’s. He gave her a sad smile.

“Well, enough talk.” Louis said. “We came here to celebrate and this is a karaoke bar, sooo…” He finished motioning to the mini stage.

They spend the rest of the meeting dancing, singing, taking pictures, and just having fun. Around three and a half in the morning they left, Harry went with Taylor to her hotel and then, he came back to his.

Xxx

The following days harry followed the band’s agenda. Interviews, presentations, photoshoots, the usual. They even filmed a little bit for the video of their charity single. Of course he also kept up with his dates with Taylor. These weren’t real dates. Okay, these weren’t real fake-dates. For the press it was just him staying over with Taylor at her hotel, that were the date. In reality he only spent about forty minutes with her waiting for Paul announce that he has the free way to go back where all the boys were, and retuning by the morning to left the building together.

It was a stupid idea for a date, even if they actually have been dating. Let’s assume they were dating for a couple of months and suddenly, less than a week of doing it public, they star spending the night as if saying ‘we are fucking’ to the world. Honestly, Harry didn’t understand how Steven expected people would buy it. Not that he was going to say anything about it, no. This kind of dates were the easiest for him; a lot of pictures in a little time. Harry and Taylor started to talk more since the karaoke night, it wasn’t so awkward anymore, but he still wasn’t comfortable about the idea of the fake-dating thing.

Five days after the show, the band and Taylor flew to the UK. Steven called him to say how appropriated would be for the love birds to fly together. Harry was okay with her joining them in the plane but that wasn’t the plan: he was flying with her in a private plane, that way people would give more attention to them.

Both of them had their compromises those days, Taylor had to plain her promoting in the UK and One Direction will be performing in The X Factor finals. As a result his next date was the Tuesday, three days after their arrival on Cheshire. Steven has suggested that it would look cute if the girlfriend met the family, ha. No way Harry was going to do that. He won’t drag his mother to this circus. They did go to Cheshire but stayed at a hotel after the dinner.

Since they were a couple, the employees of the hotel -Harry had the feeling Steven got something to do with that- assumed they would share not only room but bed too, awesome. There was no sofa, just the big bed; and ask for another room would look suspicious, Taylor said.

“Came on, Harry! The bed is big enough for seven people; we both can sleep on it without noticing if the other one is in there.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Harry nodded.

“I know!” Taylor poked her tongue and grinned after.

So here he was now, laying awake at one in the morning in the corner of an enormous bed. He wasn’t comfortable at all. The only bed he had always found comfortable besides his own was Louis’. It was in these moments when he missed the guy the most; being with no company but his thoughts -because a sleeping Taylor doesn’t count as company- had never done any good.

Last couple of days had him really exhausted. More mentally than physically, which is worse cause when you are tired, you go to sleep or sit down and after a while your energy’ll come back. But there is no formula when the tired one is your mind, right? A lot of people travel to clear their heads but Harry lived going from one place to another, the medicine in his case should be the opposite. He needed home.

Xxx

Harry didn’t remember the trip from Cheshire to London; those were two and a half blackout hours in his life. He didn’t remember how he had decided to show up at Louis’ door in the middle of the night either but here he was. He had knocked the door for the last whole seven minutes and now he could hear steeps approaching to the door.

“Haz? What are you doing here?” Louis asked confused and sleepy right after he opened the door.

“I’m… I ju…” what the hell he could say? What was his excuse?

“Come in.” Louis said and Harry obeyed. The living room was only illuminated by the moonlight that filtered for the large window in the opposite side of the door.

“How could you?” He suddenly asked. Louis just gave him and I-don’t-know-what-the-fuck-you-mean glance. “How could you find someone else?”

Okay, it was time to Louis to play fool, like he was doing for more than a year now. “I don’t understand.”

“You said you loved me back.” Harry sounded offended. “Don’t dare to say you don’t remember.”

Louis did remember. It was the weekend after his break up with Hannah. He and Harry got really drunk and Harry said he loved him. Louis of course said it back because he does love Harry, he’s his best mate. It wasn’t after a couple of days after that when he realized that it wasn’t the same kind of love.

“I did,” Louis said “but Harry we both wer-“

“I meant it.”

Louis swallowed. “Harry, that was like a year and a half ago. Why does that matter now? I mean, you’re dating Taylor.”

“I’m not. It isn’t real, it’s all for publicity.” Louis knew that, Zayn had told him and had emphasized on how he wasn’t supposed to know and how he should take the secret to his grave. “And it matters because it has been a fucking year and I still love you, and you are with someone else and growing apart for me every day a little more and you’ve said you loved me!”

“Haz…” Louis said in a sight. “I… What do you need me to do?”

“I don’t need you to do anything.” Harry’s voice sounded broken “I just want to understand… I thought… I thought you really meant it, you know, that day. And then you started dating someone else.”

Okay, he had been avoiding this conversation for way to long and still didn’t know what to say to Harry. He couldn’t stand see his friends suffering like this, especially when it was up to him stopping it. But he should say the truth o lie to him? There had to be another option because one will destroy Harry and the other one won’t do any good neither. 

“I d- I love both of you. I… I do.” He finally said.

“Then why are you with her and no with me?” Harry now had his eyes full of tears.

“I fell for her. And… I already had you in my life anyway.” Louis looked at the floor.

“But you met her months after you said you love me!” He protested.

“We‘ve always been just mates, Harry. We never were together, you can’t blame of doing anything.” Louis still didn’t dare to look up at Harry’s eyes.

“So, you’re saying that if instead of ‘I love you’ I would have told you ‘I love you, I wanna be with you”, we’d be living our Happy Ever After now?” It was a trick question, Louis knew it.

“I didn’t know you were feeling like this.” Louis finally looked into Harry eyes.

“I just wanted to have a life with you, you know? Wake up every day and see you as soon I open my eyes in the mornings, right next to me…”  
“We had that, Haz.”

“Until Eleanor.” Harry gave him a sad smile. “I’ll miss that.”

“We can’t still have it.” Louis suggested grabbing one of Harry’s hand.

“Stop it, Lou. You know I’m wouldn’t like it to be like that.”

Silence fell in the living room for a moment. Both of them stood avoiding looking at each other.

“We could try…” Louis said timidly and to low.

“What?”Harry asked in disbelief.

“For a while, like a week, we could try and see how it works.” Louis was grabbing both of Harry’s hands now.

“Are you serious?” Harry sounded shyly, hopefully and so adorable.

“Yes. It could be since now until next Tuesday, if you agree.”

“I’d like that” He smiled “but I can’t. The Taylor thing will consume almost all my time.”

“How about after you finished with that?”

“Steven called today and they want to keep with it until January ends. I can’t wait that long.”

“We… could… try it during all that time. We will see each other less but it’ll last longer.”

“I like that.” Harry said with a full grin.

This would be better, Eleanor is going to be busy with the Uni until holidays and Harry with Taylor; they won’t never be in the same place at the same time.

“You came here from Chesire?” Louis suddenly remembered.

“Yeah, I should go back if I wanna sleep.” Harry answered with a smile but he made not attempt of let go Louis’ hands, if anything he held them tighter.

“Stay.”

“Wow, that’s kinda rush, don’t you think?” Harry joked.

Louis approached to Harry and wrapped his hands to the other boy’s waist, Harry mirrored him “Just to sleep, Harold. But let me warn you, just in case you only want me for my body: we are going to take it slow.”

“That won’t be a problem.” Harry smiled and gave him a peck in the check.

As they went to the bedroom Louis realized this was a very bad idea. He just hoped Harry got bored of him before he had to hurt the younger boy even more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m soooo sorry for the delay. The Candy Chush app took over my life and My Chemical Romance split took away my soul and destroyed it.  
> I apologize for the shortness (it’s longer than the first chapter but shorter that the second one), I usually take the time to sit and write a whole chapter at one but I couldn’t find the time to do it these days, so it’s written by parts witch I hate. The Party and the After Party parts were rushed ‘cause I just wanted to finish to update. :S

From Taylor S. – Sent 09:52 AM.

_Woke up and didnt found u :(_

Harry was stuck in traffic around thirty-five minutes away from their hotel when he read Taylor’s text. She had sent him almost an hour ago; there was no point in answer it now. He’d better start thinking in a good excuse, because ‘Just went for a walk.’ wasn’t an option anymore.

Coming from between cars he could see a little girl carrying a basket full of roses, she was nine, maybe ten. He saw how she approached to the driver’s window of every automobile until she reached his.

“Wanna buy a flower, sir?” As soon as she finished the sentence she looked up and her eyes gone wide; she had recognized him.

Harry smiled. “Sure. What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Sa… Sam.”

“You have a gorgeous name, Sam!” Her face turned red. “How much for those two roses?” He asked pointing at two flowers, a red one and the other one was pink.

“Te-ten bucks.” She handled him the roses.

He took the flowers with one hand and gave her the money with the other one. “So, Sam, which one do you think is most beautiful?” She pointed at the pink one. “Then, this one is for you.” He gave her the pink rose with a full grin and she accepted it with a shy smile.

After a quick ‘Thank you.’ she moved on to the next car’s window giggling.

Problem solved. If he showed up at the hotel’s door with a rose, no one would care where he had been.  He was so lucky. And not only for this. This was just fate cooperating with his cause. He was lucky for having Louis in his life.

He had spent the night wrapped around Louis’ body while the older boy caressed his back and shoulders, whispering the all the thing he had always wanted to hear from his band mate. When he woke up, Harry couldn’t believe they where cuddling. It was like months ago but it was different at the same time. The way Louis looked at him, like he was examining every each one of his reactions, made Harry melt. That sounded way to cliché, but he was a just teenage boy in love after all, so sue him.

They stayed in bed hugging each other in silence for a while before they went to the kitchen for breakfast. Whereas Harry cooked, Louis hugged him from his back and rested his head in Harry’s right shoulder. And the curly haired boy just had to grin.

“I’m really glad we’re doing this.” He said.

“Me too.” Louis said and kissed the back of his neck.

They haven’t properly kissed yet and Harry was dying for do it, but the continued touching was okay for now. Maybe he’ll want to break up with Eleanor before got serious with him; that would be the right thing to do.

“We had to plan how we are going do it, though.”

“Ah?” Harry was confused.

“I mean, yeah… you have to date Taylor and I have El. We have to plan things and be very cautious, just in case this doesn’t work.”

So he isn’t breaking up with her. Right, he forgot this was just a try.

Harry turned to face him, but stayed into Louis’ arms. “So, is this doesn’t work out, you are gonna be with her?” Before he could get an answer he shocked his head and continued. “I have a better question: while we are together you still are gonna be with her?”

Louis dropped his arms. “I’m won’t be seeing her; she has papers to do for Uni…” Louis looked down. “but we already agreed spent my birthday and Christmas together.”

“What?”

“New Year’s Eve too. I‘m sorry, Haz.”

Harry was about protest, but he hadn’t the right. Eleanor was his girlfriend and asking Louis to break up with her was selfish, besides he’ll be spending New Year’s Eve with Taylor. If he wanted this to work out, he’ll have to prove Louis that he’s better for him than Eleanor instead demanding his attention 24/7.

“…’s okay, I understand.” Louis looked straight into his eyes and said nothing in response. “We can have our special celebration for your birthday.” Harry smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see. Just don’t make any plans for Friday night.” Harry couldn’t contain the smile his thoughts were causing.

When was time to go, around nine, Louis cupped Harry’s face, looked at him for a few moments and then pressed their lips together firm but sweet. Before Harry could count three Mississippi, it was over.

“No matter how this results, don’t forget I _do_ love you, kay?” Louis’ thumbs padding Harry’s checks. 

Harry nodded and smiled. “Won’t do it, Lou. I love you too.”

They kissed one more time and then Harry was on his way back to Cheshire.

Xxx

Taylor was waiting outside the hotel as he asked via text five minutes ago. Harry wasn’t sure if she was going to give him shit about the lost night but when she saw the rose, her face lit up.

“For you.” He said handing her the red flower.

“Thank you!” She took it and gave him a hug and a kiss on the check.

“Wow. It’s nothing, really.”

“So, where were you?” She asked smelling the rose.

“Wanted to give you some privacy, went home to sleep.”

“Oh, you’re such a gentleman!” another kiss. “You sleep at your mum’s then?”

“Uhum.” He couldn’t stop the smile.

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

“Didn’t know we were hanging tomorrow. I still don’t know what we are doing today.”

“It’s my birthday tomorrow, you silly!”

“Oh yeah, I remember now. Sorry I just don’t know the day I live in anymore.” He lied.

Her birthday was on Thurday and she’ll stay until Friday morning; what the hell? How someone could spend their birthday with people you met ten days before? At least Steven had de decency to end the contract a day before _his_ birthday.

That day, they went for lunch and walked around for a little bit. After that Harry took Taylor back to the hotel. She’ll leave to London to carry on with her promoting business. Harry used the free time to organize Louis’ party; rent a salon, call friends and family –definitely not call Eleanor-, etc. Everything had to be pulled together that Wednesday since he was sure his Thursday will be full of Boyfriend and Girlfriend Time.

He also needed to think in a present for Taylor. What do you give to someone, who you only have known for ten days and who you’re supposedly dating, when you know people from all around the world will find out what the present is? He’ll think about it after Louis’ party is ready.

From Liam – Sent 05:14 PM.

_Yeah, m goin 2 de party. How r doin u man?_

To Liam – Sent 05:15 PM.

Great! :). Im awesome, Li. I talked to Lou.

About twenty seconds after the text were sent, Harry’s phone started to ring. He didn’t need to look the ID to know who it was.

“Explain to me what happen.” Liam’s voice on the other side of the line demanded.

Harry told him what had happened last night. How he drove to Louis’ and confront him, how Louis had told him that he loved him back and that he was willing to be with him.

“Are you sure of that?” Liam asked in disbelief.

“Complete!” Harry couldn’t stop smiling.

“If that so, why he hasn’t broken up with Eleanor?

“Li, he wants to be sure that we are good for each other. Don’t worry, he’ll broke up with her when I don’t have to date Taylor anymore”

“Did he say that?”

“No, but… it’s obvious?”

“You don’t sound so sure.” Liam commented. “What if he wants to choose between you and Eleanor and it’s for that they’re not breaking? What if he ends up staying with her?”

“Yeah, he told me something like that. But he’ll choose me. You’ll see.” Harry’s voice sounded hopefully.

“Just be careful, Harry.”

“He wouldn’t hurt me, Li.”

“I know, but you’re so optimistic and I’m afraid this won’t result as you plan.”

“You don’t have to worry, trust me.”

Xxx

Taylor wasn’t coming back to Cheshire until her birthday the following day. Harry had decided to send her a box of cupcakes to where she was staying in London Thursday morning. He thought it would be a nice gesture to send her twenty-three of them, just like her age.

After finished all the set ups for Louis’ party, Harry decided to text him ‘I miss you’. He’d have the night free and thought in spending the night with Louis again. Forty minutes after passed before a response came: ‘I miss u 2, but friday is not that far’. Harry assumed Louis was occupied and he didn’t want to bother him so he just slept in the same hotel room where he was supposed to be the previous night.

The following day Harry and Taylor went to a pub, the usual thing in the last days, she thanked him the cupcakes with an energetic hug and a kiss on each cheek.

That night was Taylor’s turn to slept in their hotel room and harry went to his moms. On Friday he left her on the airport in Manchester early and drove to Yorkshire, to Louis’ party.

Xxx

As soon as Louis put a feet at the party, the first thing he noticed was that Harry’s shirt was matching his. What wasn’t really surprising; the curly haired boy had sent him the clothes he should wear that morning. Harry’s was white with a black detail on the neck whereas his was complete black.

Louis almost smiled but then he remembered the phone conversation he had with Liam two days ago. it seemed that Harry had told him about their agreement and he was concerned.

“I hope you aren’t playing with him you know how he feels about you… we all know” was the conversation starter. And “If this thing you’re planning with him doesn’t work out not only Harry’ll be absolutely shattered but me and the boys won’t ever forgive you” had been Liam’s final words about the subject. Louis couldn’t even find the strengths to feel offended by his friend’s assumption. It was obvious the relationship wasn’t going to last beyond January. But according to Liam, Harry thought otherwise and this made him feel extremely guilty.

He wasn’t sure of what he was doing in the first place. The only thing he knew when Harry came to his flat a few nights ago was that they had reached a situation of no returning. This brief-term relationship he had offered to his best mate was the first thing that came to his mind and made sense in the beginning. Of course, once he thought in the consequences of all of this it was too late, he has saw the burning joy printed in Harry’s eyes. How he could separate Harry from something that made him so happy? How he could separate himself from Harry?

He loved Eleanor and- oh god, Eleanor. Does this means he was cheating on her? And if he’s supposed to be Harry’s boyfriends, or something-like-that for a month and a half he had cheated on him with her during the past two days, when she stayed with him? He was a really shitty person.

He had sworn to himself he did this for a greater good, for Harry’s good. But now he knew all this will end going to the hell. How Harry was going to feel when this is over and he keeps dating Eleanor? An even if Harry was cool about it, how he could look at Eleanor eyes after being in a parallel relationship while he was with her? He should tell her? She could forgive him?

There was nothing he could do right now to correct the situation, so he just was going to make Harry happy while this last. Louis’ll figure out how to proceed in the future. He hoped.

His whole family was at the party, his friends, Gemma and Anne too. Niall and Zayn weren’t. Eleanor neither. Louis assumed he knew why. However it was a great party, he managed to be the most time he could with Harry. He wanted the curly haired boy to remember that night like their happy night. Not just The Time I Organized A Party To Louis Before The Bastard Broke My Heart. No, when Harry will look back to this night and it’ll be nothing but happy memories.

So, every time Louis got the chance, he hugged Harry, kissed him on the check –on the lips too, if they happened to be alone at the kitchen or in the bathroom–, danced with him, or just brushed any part of the other boy’ skin he had access to with his fingertips. It wasn’t a lot different of what they were doing before, when they were the bestest mates, if that word exists. They had been this kind of close practically since they first met –except for the lips on lips action, of course. Maybe Harry will see that and they could just go back to be best mates after all of this ends.

 Louis was aware of Liam’s gaze on him the whole night.  At first his friend looked suspicious, but by the end of the night, he was smiling every time he glanced at Harry and Louis. Before he left, he approached to Louis and apologized for being rude on the phone.

“Don’t be sorry, Li. You just are worry for Harry, I understand.”

“No, no. I need to say this, okay?” Liam Insisted. “I didn’t believe you were serious about this, but tonight I saw you are really trying, that you want to be with him… and I didn’t believe you and I’m sorry. I was just afraid somebody could get hurt. That’s all.”

“Somebody _is_ going to get hurt, Liam. It’s inevitable.” Louis replied.

“I know. I don’t approve your method. I mean I’m glad you and Harry are finally together, but Eleanor… you should break up with her soon. It’ll only get harder.”

Apparently Liam thought Louis was all head over heels for Harry and he was going to finish with Eleanor now. This couldn’t be a good thing. If Liam, an impartial part in the situation, was so sure he was going to dump his girlfriend for Harry, then Louis didn’t want to imagine how full of hope the curly haired boy was.

Maybe Louis was overanalyzing everything. Harry was clever. The only thing he needed to do was to treat Harry like before. Before the agreement, before Eleanor, before Harry said that he loved him. They used to be so close and carefree. They just were. Louis had never stop to think about how he felt towards Harry. He just liked to be around the younger boy, cuddling him, tickling him, hugging him, kissing him, touching him. They had been like that since the beginning, not so much lately, but they still were like that. Almost. Perhaps Harry was missing it as much as Louis missed it, perhaps all the other boy needed was for things o go back how they were those times and that would be enough.

Xxx

After the party Harry spent the night at Louis’. The younger boy was very excited about it and not because he thought something would happen. He just missed Louis. He had been missing him for months and now they finally were to have some time for them. A few days, actually. Harry could only dream with a life with the older boy before, but at this moment while he was finishing his cup of tea at the kitchen, that life sounded like a non-distant future.

“Are you coming, Haz?” Louis asked from his room.

“Of course” Harry was beaming. Unable of contain his smile as he undressed and lay down next to the other boy, he keep his boxers only. Even if Louis was under the sheets, Harry could tell he was wearing his pajama bottoms. The older boy approached to give him a tight hug.

They kissed a lot that night, for one moment Harry thought they were going to do more. He had hoped give a birthday blow job to his Louis when they get home. But the tanned boy told him they both had drink a little bit too much and it was too soon for go a step farther anyways.

It wasn’t too soon for Harry, but he put himself in Louis’ shoes. Maybe he didn’t want to rush things and was okay if he didn’t. Harry had waited for too long, what hurt could do to wait a little bit more?

They ended up kissing, biting and hold each other for hours until the first ray of light raised and decided to get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the grammar on this one especially sucked and that is what I regret the most about the chapter.  
> If I stop adding scenes to my outline, there are only three parts left (:
> 
> Just realized when I put Italics in the letters on Word and then I copy and pasted it here, it doesn’t show :(


	4. Chapter 4

His ringing phone was the one in charge of waking Harry up the Saturday morning. It was a shame to get up, Louis was spooning him. But when he saw who was calling he practically run to the living room; it was Eleanor.

“El?” Harry answered.

“Yes, it’s me. How _are_ you, Harry?” Her tone wasn’t sweet as usual, it was full of irony.

“Fi-fine. How are you?”

“Oh, well. I woke up this morning, took a shower, had breakfast… The same old routine, you know?” Harry nodded when Eleanor made a pause, even if she couldn’t see him. “Then I went online, and what did I see?”

Another pause. “I’m asking you, Harry. What could I have seen?”

“I… don’t know, El” He answered in a low voice.

“I’ll tell you what I saw. The pictures of my boyfriend’s birthday party, organized by Harry Styles!”

“Um, oh”

“Yeah, ‘um, oh’ to you too.” Eleanor sighed. “I’m guessing, since you answered the phone with an ‘El?’,” she imitated Harry’s voice “that you do have my phone number. Don’t you, Harry?”

“Yeah.” His voice was a whisper.

“So why I wasn’t invited to _my_ boysfriend’s birthday?” Now she sounded furious.

“It wasn’t really planned with much anticipation... Zayn and Niall couldn’t make it neither.”

“But they were aware of the party. And tell me, Harry, if it was all so rushed, how your mother and your sister found out?”

“Eleanor, I forgot to tell you, I am sorry, okay?”

“Oh, but you didn’t forgot to wear a shirt matching Louis’, do you?”

“What does that has to do with anything?!” He almost screamed.

“Don’t play fool with me, Harry” she replied. “I _know_ , okay? I see what are you doing and honestly, sweetheart, I’d give up if I were you.”

“Ah?” Eleanor couldn’t know, Louis wouldn’t tell her about them if it wasn’t to break up with her.

“I’ve never care about what you feel towards Lou; it was your business. But you have to understand that, not because you push him away from me, he’ll star to magically love you.”

Harry was silent. If only she knew.

“I’m telling you for your own good…” She didn’t sounded sincere “you’ll only waste energy, love.”

“I guess you’re right, El.”

“I am.” She affirmed. “Gotta go, love ya.”

“Bye… have a nice day.”

“You too.” And the line went mute. That has to be the fakest end of a conversation in the history of humanity.

Before that morning, Harry felt kind of guilty when he thought about Eleanor. She was just a girl who had met a guy and fell in love with him. She doesn’t have the fault that guy was his Louis. Who wouldn’t fall for him? But after that call he discovered she wasn’t as sweet as she looked like. She didn’t deserve him.

Xxx

After the call, Louis woke up and Harry let himself forgot about Eleanor and the whole world. There was no way he could focus in anything else when the older boy was all over him _all_ the time. He wouldn’t complain. They would fly to LA the Tuesday, so probably Louis just wanted to spend as much time as he could with Harry until then.

This was nice. The other boy had always been touchy, but this felt different. Well… actually, it _was_ different but the difference Harry noticed was that he felt _wanted_ now. As if this wasn’t just because Louis was unaware of making his heart burn with more emotions than Harry wanted to experience. This was as if Louis was trying to be sure of Harry noticing he did it on purpose. And he noticed to the point he was sure tonight was the night.

It wasn’t.

When the night came, they just cuddled and kissed. They kissed _a lot_ , but nothing more. Harry was sure he had left his intentions pretty clear when he was running his hand up on Louis’ left thigh, before the other boy suddenly stood up with the excuse he had to go to the bathroom.

Now, Harry was lying in bed with Louis spooning him and thinking about the situation, he couldn’t contain to ask.

“Lou.”

“Mmm?” that sleepy sound was his answer.

“Can I ask you something?” How he could formulate all his doubts in a question that didn’t offended the older boy?

“cors, anthin’, Haz.” Maybe Harry should wait until Louis was awake enough to speak his same language.

“Why you… earlier, didn’t… you don’t… we-” Okay, they were speaking in the same language. He swallowed and tried again. “Why you left when we were making out? Did… did I do something wrong?”

_Damn_ , he should have been more subtle instead of stood up and walk away. The thing was that when Louis proposed this agreement didn’t thought in the sexual aspects. He had never done anything with a guy before. And he hadn’t decided how far he’ll go with Harry yet.

The sex was of the table and not just because Harry was a guy; he couldn’t think of sleeping with someone knowing for a fact they wouldn’t be spending the rest of their life together. He had only sleep with two girls besides Eleanor, and he had thought every one of them was The One in that moment.

The kissing was good. Harry kissed with a mix of desperation and fondness that Louis really enjoyed. The way the younger boy kissed his neck made all his body trembled every time.

Louis had no intention in going farther, especially when all this was going to end; he was afraid Harry would feel used afterwards. Every time Louis remembered their situation wasn’t infinite, all he was able to do was to hold Harry in a tight hug. Despite Harry being bigger than him, the curly haired boy was more vulnerable. The thought of how much he was going to suffer because of him filled Louis with chills. But there was no way of avoid it.

To tell Harry the truth at few nights ago when he came to Louis’ flat would have shattered him but it would have been the right thing to do. But how could someone look at those big shining huge green eyes and tell “You’re special to me, I had never had this connection with anybody before and I really need you in my life… but I’m love with my girlfriend”? Just the thought of that gave a stitch of pain in Louis’ chest.

Now was too late for the truth. If he told Harry what he was doing he’ll only feel fooled.

“You have done anything wrong.” He finally answered and Harry turned around to face him, still trapped in his hold.

“What did you leave then?” Louis couldn’t believe that a voice so deep could sound so, so sweet.

“I have never been with a bloke, Haz. That why I asked you to go slow.”

“Oh. I never thought about it.” Harry looked ashamed.

“Hey,” Louis’ cupped Harry’s face and gave him a kiss. “It’s okay; don’t feel bad, you didn’t know.”

“I- We had so little time to spent together alone, I just wanted to seize it.” Harry excused himself.

“Stop being so hard on yourself. It’s not your fault I’m such a prude!” Another kiss just in case the younger boy wanted to protest.

That would give him some time.

Xxx

They flew to LA on Tuesday; Harry and Taylor had another of their “dates” the next day. They were getting along pretty well, Harry was sure that after all of thing ended, they’ll still be great friends. They had been texting and she already had figured out what they’ll be doing on Wednesday.

Harry wasn’t sure how he had ending up admitting he was close to his mom, Taylor response had been “OMG me 2! SagittariusxAquarius connection!!”.

The same day they arrived to LA, Harry went to get a tattoo and took Taylor with him.

“That looks really nice on you!” Taylor had said once the work was finished.

“Thanks. It was something I’ve been wanting for a while.”

They talked about tattoos, how many more Harry wanted, how Taylor wasn’t planning to have one soon. Maybe a “13”, but she wanted to be one hundred percent sure before actually doing it.

“So, what are we doing tomorrow?” Harry asked when the topic ran out.

“I was thinking… I want you to meet my mom.” Taylor answered with a big smile, and Harry agreed because, why not? As they friendship went, he eventually will meet her anyways. Besides, the paparazzi will be following them for sure; that would make Steven very happy.

They ended up having a nice time, the three of them went for lunch and to the shopping after that. Harry really got along with Andrea, Taylor’s mom.

“I was expecting to meet you soon. Tay told me so much about you.” She said with a warm smile while her daughter was in the restroom.

“Oh, really?” Harry couldn’t believe that. He didn’t even mentioned Taylor if someone else doesn’t bring her up to the conversation.

“Yes, she says you’re such a good listener and a complete gentleman.” Harry blush and Taylor was back, hugging him before he could think a reply.

For a moment he thought Andrea wasn’t aware of the agreement and actually believed Taylor and him were together but that couldn’t be; Taylor wouldn’t lie to her mom about that, Harry had called Anne a couple of days before the first ’date’ to warn her. She didn’t like a bit of the situation and tried to convince him to not doing it. He knew that would happen and that was exactly why he waited to the last minute, when there was no back down, to tell her.

On Thursday was the The X Factor presentation. Harry and the boys talked a little bit with the contestants, congratulated Tate and Harry told Fifth Harmony’s girls not to worry; Simon will definitely sign them.

He wasn’t shocked they had loose. If anything, he was pretty surprised they had made it to the finals; Simon had put all his attention on Emblem3 during the whole competition and remembered about the girls’ existence on the semi finals. If they had done more performances like Anything Could Happen earlier, they would have won for sure. Okay, maybe it is Harry’s wish talking. Emblem3 was more original, that’s why Simon focused on them, but you can’t deny the girls had amazing voices.

The next day the boys flew back to the UK, Harry stayed a few days more because he was ‘so in love’ with Taylor. He was back for Christmas’s Eve and actual Louis’ birthday, but he couldn’t see his boy: “it is Eleanor’s turn” Louis had said over the phone. Apparently she had done a little scandal to him too. That girl was beginning to bother him.

Anyway, Harry had to fly to the States on Friday 28st. Louis and him had spent two days together and Harry really didn’t want to go. He tried ‘forgetting’ his passport, but when you’re a popstar and you have money, and a lot of people knows who you are _and_ you have compromises, there is always a way to resolve the little problems. Lucky… not him that’s for sure. Lucky Steven, lucky Eleanor.

Xxx

Once in New York, Harry didn’t have to let himself being spotted with Taylor. Steven said it was enough with people knowing he was there, ‘you can practice your Monday’s performance’ the man had added with an unnecessary laugh. A month, Harry, you had survived half of it, only a month more and you’re free.

He used those three days to visit some friends and talk to Louis over the phone. And when they weren’t speaking, they were texting. It was an infinite conversation.

On New Year’s Eve, before the duty of the day, Harry went to a Coldplay concert. If we were living on a perfect world, no one would have noticed him there, but we are not; a couple of fans recognized him. Now Harry would have to hear Steven’s whiny ‘You were supposed to be watching your girlfriend’s presentation at Times Square!’. The boy rolled his eyes at the thought.

 He went as fast as he could after the concert. When he met with Taylor she asked what he thought about her performance. Harry didn’t even knew what song she had sang so he said ‘Amazing as usual’ with a big grin he was hoping she didn’t noticed it was fake.

They mixed with the crowd, their bodyguards a couple of feet away, the hugged and waited for the countdown.

 Ten.

Nine.

Taylor’s grip on his back got tighter.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

He turned to look her into her eyes; she was already in her position.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Their mouth collided. There was screaming around them, he could hear a flash after another one. The only thing Harry could think it was Louis and how he wanted him to be here. His New Year’s resolution was do not let this thing happen again. He’ll never let someone else take the control of his life like this. This was wrong. He didn’t belong in these skinny arms. He wanted to begin the year in Louis’ arms. He wanted to begin every fucking day in Louis’ arms.

When they broke the kiss, Taylor looked into his eyes with a dazzled gaze. She was so good actress.

“Our first kiss… finally.” She said smiling and held him in a strong hug. “It was like I dreamt it” She said to his right ear so only he could heart.

Harry hugged her back but he couldn’t dissimulate his tenseness. What-the-fuck? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My notes for this chapter were: "back to LA 18/12 - mom 19/12 - txf US 20/12 - Back to UK but H 21/12 - H UK 24/12 - Airport 28/12 - Coldplay show, Time Square 31/12". An as you can see, I ended up not stopping on this points.  
> So, I'm have planned what to do, but I don't know what I'm doing anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long and this is so short. I had problems with my computer and, if I'm honest, I kind of lost the interest in this fic. I wanted to finish it and update the chapters 5 and 6 together but that was just another promise I couldn't keep to myself. The final chapter should be posted whitin this week, though ;)

They flew straight to the Virgin Islands after midnight. They were supposed to be there a whole week. Harry had planned be on his own that whole time, talking to Louis on the phone, or endless texting at least. It didn’t go that way.

Taylor was hanging by his arm 24/7 and he wasn’t able to communicate with Louis. Apparently she believed they were in an actual relationship. She wouldn’t shut up about how a gentleman Harry was and how cute and curly their children would be. Harry tried to look back at his actions to understand how come the girl had arrived to that conclusion. Sure, he treated her with respect, asked about her day, made compliments on her looks, but that was what any decent human been did with other people! He’d have to talk with her later.

“ _Harry? Happy new year, mate!_ ” Zayn voice said finally picking up the phone.

“Happy new year to you, too! How is everything?” Harry asked. Even if he just had call to know about Louis, it won’t kill him to be polite and wish one of his best friends a good year.

“ _Everithing’s cool. Why did you call, though?_ ” Right, Zayn was the perceptive one.

“I can’t communicate with Louis’ phone. Do you know where he is at the moment?”

“ _Um… yeah_.” Zayn sounded uncertain.

“Well?”

“ _He’s with Eleanor. They had that big party last night, remember_?”

“Oh, yes.” Of course, Louis wouldn’t talk to him if Eleanor was around. “Thank you, _Zaynie_.” Harry was positive Louis would call him when he got the chance.

“ _Don’t call me that, twat!_ ”

Xxx

Two days passed and Harry still hadn’t heard from Louis nor had the talk with Taylor. He managed to avoid the kisses by never being with her alone and excusing himself to the bathroom every time she suggested any private activity. Taylor should be convinced he had diarrhea by then.

“Hey, babe. I miss you. I haven’t heard from you since two-thousand twelve!” He laughed at his own joke. “Please, call me back. Don’t care about the time; I need hear your voice. I miss you so, so, _so_ much, babe. I love you and not hearing of you this couple of days is killing me. Having to spend time with her, knowing that I could be with you is aching. I love you and I can’t wait to see your lovely face again. Call me, please?” He finished the message and opened the bathroom door to find a shocked Taylor waiting for him.

“Who where you talking to?” He could tell she has an intern fight to keep herself calm.

“It was a personal call.”

“Yeah, I can tell. So, are you seeing someone else?” Her voice was full of anger by now.

“No, I’m not seeing _someone else_.”

“C’amon, Harry. I’m not stupid, I know what I just listened.”

“It’s not like you think it-“

“So, are you not dating both of us?” She interrupted putting her hand on her waist.

“No, I’m not dating you!”

“What?”

“What you heard. We don’t have anything!”

“Why you made me believe you wanted something with me, then?” If she continued raising her voice, they were going to have problems.

“I never did such a thing! I just went according what our managements arranged. Excuse me for not wanting to get in your pants!” In retrospective, Harry should’ve not said that, but one can’t be a politically correct all the time.

After being about ten seconds with her mouth open in a perfect circle, Taylor said “You are a jerk.” And left to her room.

The next morning he saw her wearing a blue dress and shades on a ship, _The Flaying Ray_. Steven would be definitely not happy when he found out, but Harry couldn’t care less.

Xxx

Two days had passed and he still had no news of Louis. Steven had ordered him to stay another just in case he could talk to Taylor’s management team and do some damage control.

That night, when she tweeted _‘til you put me down_ and the internet exploded, Harry knew for sure he was a free man. Although, who does something like that at twenty-three? Even in a real relationship, seriously. It didn’t matter anymore, the next day he would see his Louis.

Xxx

A night, a flight and a shower later he was out Louis’ door, waiting for the other boy to answer.

“Harry!” He finally opened and Harry threw himself at his arms. “I thought you were still out of the country…”

“No! Taylor and I had a fight; didn’t you hear we broke up?” He said realizing him from the hug with one big fat grin. “Didn’t get my messages either, Lou?”

“Um, ‘bout that.” Louis looked down.

“What?” Harry sounded too hopeful, but Louis had to do it.

“I can’t do this anymore, Haz.”

“Do what?”

“Being with you. I love El.”

The look Harry gave him would haunt Louis for the rest of his life. If he was feeling bad by just watching him, he couldn’t imagine in how much pain the younger boy was.

“But… but you said…”

“I said I would give us a try and I did. I’m sorry.” He kept his gaze on the ground.

“You’ve never considerate it, didn’t you?”

“What?” Louis looked at him know.

“You just said you’ll think about it, about you and me, but it was just an excuse. You’ve never thought about make this permanent. It was never an option to you.”

“Haz…” It was true, but he did it because he didn’t want to see Harry suffering. “It’s not so simple.”

“So, it’s true.”

“Let me explain-“ He reached for Harry but the younger boy pulled himself away.

“Don’t touch me!” He was crying now, those big green eyes were full of tears. “I just need not to see you right now.” He ran to his car and Louis made no intent of following him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter here! If you read this fic and you liked it, I love you. If you read it and you hated it, thank you for not letting me know (really).  
> The (almost) lack of Zayn is because when it thought of the story, I always saw him more connected to Louis than Harry. And this fic is from Harry's POW mostly (it chance to other people WHILE they are talking to Harry), so the Zayn/Louis interactions aren't shown :/ Never making that mistake again.

“Harry, you can’t spend the rest of your life in my couch.” Niall said sitting next to him.

“My heart is aching, let me suffer in peace.” A long pause. “How could he did something like that to me?!”

“Here we go” Niall rolled his eyes.

“Seriously, Ni. The guy says he is going to date me, to see if we work out when he actually had no intention of keep dating me after the time initially accorded!” He couldn’t remember what was like to have his eyes dry. “As one of his best friends, I thought at least I deserved his respect! We never even real-dated during that time. He just faked it and came to sleep next to me.”

“If you promise not to take it in the wrong way, can I ask you something?” Niall looked stoic.

“Shot.”

“How is that different of what you did to Taylor?”

Harry raised and eyebrow, “I’m not following.”

“Think about it. For you it was just a publicity stunt. You were pretty much in love with someone else but Taylor didn’t have a clue.” Niall made a pause a took sit next to Harry, on the couch. “Imagine you are in a happy relationship and someone you are fond of comes and says they love you and they want to have a relationship-test to see how it works. What would you do?”

“It’s not the same situation. Taylor knew it was all for publicity. And Louis didn’t have to say yes.”

“Look, I’m not saying I would have acted the way Louis did. But he said your relation was temporary; you just assume he would stop loving Eleanor and dump her for you. At the same time, I’m not saying you did something to make Taylor think your relationship was real; but in the same way you thought your thing with Louis would last more than the initially accorded, she may have thought her thing with you was more that for publicity like the _accorded_.”

“If I get this right, you aren’t trying to make me feel better about Louis, but making me feel worse about Taylor?”

Niall rolled his eyes again. “I’m just trying to say that sometimes we do what we think it’s the best or the only option and we end up hurting people without doing it on propose. We can’t control how other people feel toward us or how they think we would act.”

Harry just blinked.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Niall threw his hands to the air. “I mean, out of nowhere, Taylor began to believe you guys were for real. Perhaps it had nothing to do with you but _something_ gave her that idea. And she’s suffering. Of course, you can think she’s a crazy bitch who imagines things, but that won’t change the fact that she’s suffering.” He did a pause. “Louis should have told you he was happy with his girlfriend and didn’t want a thing with you on the first place. That would hurt you, yeah. Maybe that was why he did what he did. Maybe he didn’t mean for you to set your hopes high and picture a future together but in the moment he thought that was the best solution.”

“I get it. I still don’t see how the Taylor situation is my fault, but I get it.” He tilted his head and sighed. “And Louis… I don’t know. It just didn’t seem like it was something temporary. I wish he didn’t promise to make a decision. If he had told me he would date me one month and nothing more I would have made the best out of that time, you know?” Niall nodded. “I feel betrayed but at the same time I’m disappointed of myself for wasting that time.”

The only response he got from Niall was a tight hug.

Xxx

 The next day, when he finally decided to go back to his place, Harry decided to call Taylor. He still didn’t know what to say to her when she picked up; he figured out words would flow by themselves.

“ _Why are you calling me, Harry?”_ Not even a ‘hello’. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“I’m just calling you to say I’m sorry”. He tried to sound like he meant it. And he actually did at this point.

“ _Why? Did that whore of yours got tired of you?”_ She shot.

“I don’t want your forgiveness to get back _together_.” Harry explained. “I want you to know I’m sorry for making you think there was more between you and me than a PR and a potential friendship.”

“ _Are you calling to mock at me?!_ ” Harry rolled his eyes.

“No, Taylor. I’m calling to apologize. I keep thinking about what happened and realized it was in part my fault.”

“ _In part?_ ” Life is a 50/50, Harry had always thought, but she wasn’t giving in anything!

“I should have told you I’m gay from the beginning”. There. Let’s see what she got to say now.

“ _O-M-G!_ ” He could picture her gesticulating every letter and opening wide her eyes. “ _The story of my life!_ ”

Harry chuckled.

Xxx

“I don’t know how to feel anymore” Harry complained. Liam came to visited him and had no better idea that asking him about his feelings. If he was honest, he felt like shit. He couldn’t say that, though.

“At least you could handle the Taylor issue and won’t have to worry about her throwing shades to you in the media.” (Yeah, right).

“Yeah.” He sighed. “And I think I could look back at Louis like nothing happened when we’ll be touring.”

“Really?”

“I’ll _try_. I’m not ready to talk to him in person yet but I want to do it before then. For now I just need to be away from him and I really need Eleanor to stop sending me these messages every day.”

Since his ‘fight’ with Louis ten days ago, the older boy had called him three times and Harry no once picked up. He opted to send him text asking him to stop. Also, since that day Harry had been receiving a text from Eleanor every morning. ‘ _Did you really expecting him leaving me for YOU?_ ’, ‘ _How are you, pity excuse for a home wrecker?_ ’, etc.

He could make an effort and put himself in her place and think how awful must be someone trying to break your relationship, but what she was doing was simply cruel.

“You need to tell Louis about it” Liam suggested.

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? I’m not ready!”

“You can’t keep receiving her messages just like that!”

“That’s not important,” he lied. “The important thing here is that Louis deserves someone better. I’m getting used to the idea that someone would never be me, but it can’t be her. She’s showing it”.

“Oh, Haz.”

Xxx

The next day Harry got another text from Eleanor. Nothing new in that. He didn’t know it would be the last one.

Four days had passed. It wasn’t like Harry missed them but he found it weird. Maybe Eleanor had suddenly grown up and realized how immature of her was texting him. Harry chuckled at his thoughts. Hey, he had heartbreak and she was making the wound wider on purpose, he had the right to being mean.

The doorbell rang pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked thought the peephole to see who it was and he found Louis on the other side. Harry opened the door slowly.

“I broke up with Eleanor.”

Pause. Louis still hadn’t come in.

“Liam told me about the texts.”

What was Harry supposed to say? ‘Thank you’?

“I’m sorry.” The blue eyed boy continued.

“It’s okay”. It’s not really, but at this point who cares?

Louis took a step in and closed the door behind him. “I’m not saying sorry just for the messages but for everything I put you through.”

Harry shook his head and looked down. “I shouldn’t have told you anything.”

“Don’t say that.” Louis said stepping closer.

“It’s better not to know after all. I rather keep thinking there is a change you like me, as in really like me, instead of feeling this way.”

“I like you. I do.” Harry looked up and straight to the shorter boy’s eyes. “As in really like you” Louis added with a sad smile.

Harry shook his head again. “We don’t have to go through all of this again, Louis.”

“Harry, I’m being honest. I want you to give me a chance to really try…. If it isn’t too late?” the last part was barely audible.

Harry nodded weakly and Louis hugged him.

“Not now, though.” Louis released and looked at him with confusion written in his eyes. “I need time. Not much, just a couple of days… I really need to adjust to the rollercoaster of emotions I been having lately.”

“Okay?” Louis sounded hurt.

“We can not to see each other until next week? We can have a proper first date then, maybe?” Harry offered.

Louis smiled at him and nodded. “It’s settled, then.”

“Thanks. I really need it.” Harry went to open the door but Louis stopped him.

The older boy gave him a quick peck on the lips before turn and opened the door by himself, said “see you in a week” and let himself out.

It seemed things were going to turn out to be okay after all. Harry was glad he didn’t eat down his feelings in the first place. Everything wasn’t going to be pointless.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally it was meant to be an OS but if I want to give it a proper end, it has to be longer. I think it will be four parts, five tops (and they won't be as short as this first part).  
> Hope you liked it!  
> (I'm sorry for any grammar mistake you could've found).


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